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Did You Know?

Did you know that men are more likely to overstate their abilities than women?

A study from Columbia University Business School found that men and women were equally prone to predict exaggerated math test scores when faced with a financial incentive, but men tended to inflate their scores by a much bigger margin—about 40%, compared to 20% for women. As a result, 29 of 33 groups asked to appoint a leader to compete in a math competition selected a man as their leader, while just four chose a woman.

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Have You Considered Reverse Mentoring?

If you're at or beyond the mid-level in your career, perhaps you've served as a mentor to someone younger than you. But have you considered *being* mentored by someone younger than you? In a burgeoning trend popularized by former GE CEO and noted management guru, Jack Welch, many companies are instituting programs designed to pair veteran employees with their less-seasoned counterparts … but not in traditional ways. In reverse mentoring relationships, young people can help their proteges learn new technologies and stay abreast of fresh ideas; but it can also boost young employees' careers and improve workplace morale by promoting comfort, loyalty and trust.

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Community Colleges: Priming the STEM Pipeline

Did you know that Piedmont Virginia Community College received a $600,000 NSF grant to provide scholarships to women and minorities studying STEM fields? PVCC is one of many community colleges that are increasingly focused on helping to build up the scientific workforce by encouraging more students — especially underrepresented students — to pursue STEM fields. Community colleges often are the only higher education resource for students who are financially challenged, and for four-year schools considering a transfer relationship, they offer many potential benefits: a diverse student body, sensitivity to the needs of local employers, and flexible, innovative curricula. Do you have a transfer program with local schools? Learn more about establishing one with the NCWIT Pipeline-in-a-Box.

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Why CSEdWeek? One Great Answer

What do you say when someone asks you why Computer Science Education Week is important? Do you wish you had a source for a data-driven and a philosophical retort, all in one spot? Well, over at t.h.e. Journal there's a terrific piece (chock full of statistics and research links, and featuring quotes from Chris Stephenson) on why K-12 computing education needs our focus and what we can and should be doing to make it better.

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Which Startup Is Hiring the Best Talent?

Did you see this funny little piece over at SFGate? Dishing a bit of gossip about the recruiting practices of SV companies, the article reveals that it's not a Twitter, Facebook, or Zynga that's hiring some of the Valley's most recruited engineers; it's Square, the digital payment startup founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. True or not, the piece points to Square as possessing a few characteristics that tend to attract top talent, and might be worth emulating:

Dedicate resources to recruitment

Have a great "brand"

If you don't make something "tangible", make sure your product or service has tangible value

Did You Know? is a brief round-up of information and news that crossed NCWIT's radar this week that we think might be of interest to you. Practices or content of the news presented are not vetted or endorsed by NCWIT.